Narrabri Shire Council has confirmed new dates and a fresh theme for the 2026 CREATE Festival, with the popular community arts event set to run from Friday 2 October to Sunday 18 October 2026.
The revised schedule, endorsed by the CREATE Committee, shifts the festival from its original March timing to October, allowing additional time for planning, stronger community participation, and enhanced programming opportunities across the Shire.
Mayor Darrell Tiemens said the change reflects Council’s commitment to delivering a high-quality, inclusive cultural event that continues to grow each year.
“CREATE has become a much-loved celebration of creativity in our community, and moving the festival to October gives artists, schools, community groups and organisers the time they need to deliver something truly special,” Mayor Tiemens said.
The Committee has also endorsed “Water” as the theme for CREATE 2026. The theme will guide the development of workshops, exhibitions, public art activities, and community events, encouraging artists and participants to explore water’s cultural, environmental, and creative significance.
“The theme of Water is particularly relevant to our region and offers enormous scope for creative interpretation,” Mayor Tiemens said. “It invites reflection, storytelling and connection, all things CREATE does exceptionally well.”
The festival will officially open on Friday, 2 October 2026, with opening night celebrations to include the unveiling of a new public art sculpture, marking a significant cultural milestone for the Shire.
CREATE Committee Chair and Council’s Director of Corporate and Community Services, Mark Watt, said the extended festival period will support broader access and engagement across Narrabri Shire.
“We’re continuing to look at ways to make CREATE more accessible, including delivering workshops and exhibitions beyond Narrabri and Wee Waa and exploring options such as travelling exhibitions using the Council library van,” Mr Watt said.
“CREATE is a Council-led festival, but it is deeply grounded in community participation. Over time, we want to see it increasingly shaped and led by the community, with Council providing strong support.”
Planning for CREATE 2026 is already underway, including programming discussions and preparations for artist engagement. Council is also inviting local businesses and organisations to consider sponsorship opportunities to support the ongoing growth and sustainability of the festival.
“CREATE relies on strong partnerships,” Mr Watt said. “Sponsorship plays an important role in supporting artists, programming and community activities, and we welcome conversations with businesses interested in being part of CREATE 2026.”
Further details about the festival program and artist opportunities will be released in the coming months. The community is encouraged to stay tuned to Council’s website and social media channels for updates. Businesses or organisations interested in sponsoring CREATE 2026 are encouraged to contact Narrabri Shire Council for more information.
About the 2026 theme: Water
Water is life in motion – shaping Country, sustaining culture, and carrying stories across generations. Every drop holds a story of connection: to land and waterways, to people and community, and to past, present and emerging. Flowing through rivers, oceans, and skies, water is a living presence that has carried knowledge, memory, and cultural law since the beginning of time and continues to do so today. The 2026 CREATE Art Festival exhibition invites artists to reflect on water as more than a physical element, exploring its role as a source of life, movement, and storytelling within Aboriginal cultures and contemporary practice, where ancient wisdom and present-day expression flow together.
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